Horaiji-zan (Mt. Horaiji — Mountain Pilgrimage Site)

The founding of Hōraiji temple on Hōraiji-san is traditionally attributed to the ascetic Rishū Sennin in the third year of Taihō (703). According to the Japanese Wikipedia article on Hōraiji-san, Rishū was born in Yamashiro Province in 570, travelled to the Korean kingdom of Baekje to study Buddhism, entered the mountain in 672, and is said to have had three demons (oni) as attendants. When Emperor Monmu fell ill in 701, Rishū mounted a phoenix (hōō) and ascended to the capital, where he performed seven days of prayers that restored the emperor to health. In gratitude, a temple complex was constructed in 703, and the name 'Hōraiji' (Temple of the Coming Phoenix) was bestowed. The principal image, a Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha) carved from one of seven sacred cedars on the mountain, remains the object of worship. Minamoto no Yoritomo is said to have taken refuge here during his Izu exile, and later to have restored the temple; the 1,425-step stone approach is traditionally attributed to his donation. In the Edo period, the legend that Tokugawa Ieyasu's parents had prayed at this temple for a son resulted in Ieyasu's birth; this prompted the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, to order construction of the Hōraisan Tōshōgū in 1650, completed by his successor Ietsuna in 1651. Under shogunal protection, the complex grew to 21 sub-temples and a rice stipend of 1,350 koku. It fell into rapid decline after the Meiji Restoration, and the main hall burnt down in 1914; the present hall dates from its reconstruction in 1974. National designation as a Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument (meisho oyobi tennen kinenbutsu) was conferred in 1931.

Hōraiji-san is simultaneously a centre of Yakushi (Medicine Buddha) veneration — historically known as 'Mineyo Yakushi' (Peak Yakushi) — and a mountain asceticism (Shugendo) training ground. The Oku-no-In (inner sanctuary) served as the locus of training for mountain ascetics, and the grotto where Rishū Sennin is said to have entered final meditation (nyūjō) at the Katsudake Fudō-dō remains on the mountain. The cult of the buppōsō (Three Treasures of Buddhism) bird, in which the cry 'butsu-hō-sō' (Buddha-Dharma-Sangha) is interpreted as the call of a sacred bird proclaiming the Three Jewels of Buddhism, has been associated with the mountain since the Heian period. The 1935 NHK Nagoya radio broadcast, in which the call was broadcast nationally, led to the discovery that the actual caller was the Oriental scops owl (Otus semitorques, konohazuku) rather than the visually striking broad-billed roller (Eurystomus orientalis, buppōsō). Thereafter, the konohazuku was termed 'the voice buppōsō' and the roller 'the figure buppōsō' — a terminological compromise that preserves the literary and religious heritage while reflecting biological fact. Hōraiji-san Wikipedia

The Hōraiji-san Natural History Museum (at the mountain base) continues public education and conservation work for the konohazuku, and the local 'Monodani 21st Century Committee' has worked to attract konohazuku back to the mountain. In 1999 the bird's call was heard for the first time in 15 years, a result attributed to local environmental management efforts. Buppōsō at Hōraiji-san. At peak leaf-viewing season (November), special bus services are added from Motomiyoshi station. Hōraiji remains active as the head temple of the Shingon Gochi-kyōdan sect, and pilgrimage to the Yakushi Nyorai enshrined here continues year-round.

November (autumn foliage season) is the busiest and most visually spectacular period. To hear the konohazuku's call, visit on clear nights in May–August near the Tōshōgū or Jigoku-dani area. Cherry blossom viewing in early April is also pleasant. For the 1,425-step stone approach, an early morning start is recommended.

The classic composition combines the Niō-mon gate with the towering stone steps and ancient cryptomerias. The 60-m-tall Kasa-sugi cedar (named after its umbrella-like form) is best photographed from below on the stone steps, looking upward. The Tōshōgū's intricate carvings reward a telephoto lens for close-up detail of the transom and decorative panels. In autumn, backlit translucent foliage makes for striking colour photography.

The stone steps are slippery, particularly after rain or when covered with fallen leaves; caution is required. The summit parking lot (accessed via the Pākuwei road) is paid parking. Follow posted guidance regarding photography at the Tōshōgū and Hōraiji main hall. When observing konohazuku at night, avoid shining bright lights or making loud noises that would disturb the birds, which are protected wildlife. Public bus services have limited frequencies, and some Sunday/holiday services are suspended.